Driver fleeing from race on 60 Freeway arrested after fatal crash, police say
California Highway Patrol officers say that a driver fleeing from them at high speeds after they tried to catch him for racing on the 60 Freeway crashed and killed an innocent driver over the weekend.
The incident began at around 11:50 p.m. on Saturday, when multiple drivers on eastbound SR-60 called to report that several lanes were being blocked by a street race, according to CHP officers.
Patrol cars reached the location minutes later, CHP said, at which point police identified the suspect, Modesto Daniel Carpio of San Jacinto, as one of the alleged racers. They attempted to pull him over, but instead the driver fled from them behind the wheel of an Infiniti sports car, heading southbound into Riverside County via the I-15 Freeway.
"Carpio accelerated to speeds exceeding 100 mph and transitioned onto the westbound Riverside (91) Freeway," police said. "While fleeing at high speed, the Infiniti collided with a semi-truck hauling a trailer east of Lincoln Avenue. The impact forced the semi into a freeway sound wall and ejected the driver."
Police say that the victim, identified as 55-year-old Rancho Cucamonga man Stephen Palacios, was found in grave condition and rushed to a nearby hospital by Corona Fire Department paramedics. He died about an hour after arrival.
Palacios' passenger, only identified as a man, was also hospitalized after suffering moderate injuries, police said. He is expected to recover.
Police say that Carpio was uninjured in the crash. He was arrested without further incident following the crash and booked on suspicion of second-degree murder and felony evading. He remains behind bars in lieu of $1 million bail.
"Illegal street racing is not just a crime — it's a threat to every driver on the road," said CHP Captain Sal Suarez. "This tragic loss underscores why the CHP remains committed to pursuing and protecting those who endanger lives through reckless behavior."
